A Sandwich a Day: Lemon Pecan Chicken Salad at Cafe Medina

In this great city of ours, one could eat a different sandwich every day of the year—so that's what we'll do. Here's A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around New York. Got a sandwich we should check out? Let us know.—The Mgmt.

[Photograph: Robyn Lee]

Chicken salad is one of those self-selecting foods. People who don't dig the idea of white meat and mayo have no business trying it out. They'll never meet a chicken salad that'll change their minds.

But if you're a fan of chicken salad, this one ($8.50) at Cafe Medina will do you right. The chicken is more moist than most, and lemon zest in the dressing brightens the mayo without overwhelming it with acidity. But it's the pecans that really do it for me; they don't just add crunch, but a richer, nuttier flavor than the chicken could deliver on its own.

The other components—roasted tomato, lettuce, multigrain bread—add further contrast and interest. Not that you'd call this a fascinating sandwich, but it's several steps up from your average deli version.

Previewing your comment:

HTML Hints

Comment Guidelines

Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more in the Comment Policy section of our Terms of Use page.